When she opened them, there were tears there.
“Thank you for that.”
He saw how his bossiness weighed on her. Not only was he going to free himself by forgiving his father, he was going to make amends with his wife.
He’d burdened her a lot.
“You don’t have to thank me. You’ve given me all of you for many, many years—even when I didn’t give you all of me. It’s time I changed that, and I give you all of me. He’s a nice dog. I’m sure he’s filthy, but he can get a bath.”
She hugged the dog, and in that moment, it made Ethan smile. She really didn’t ask for anything. He sometimes forgot that she had scars and wounds too.
He didn’t always think about the little girl who loved a dog so much and he was taken away by her step-mother.
Or the woman who watched Babylon die. Their dogs were getting older. One day, she’d bury them, and lose little pieces of her soul.
The least he could do was let her refill her soul with love from something else.
Bring on being the Shaman. He had people to help and heal, starting with his wife.
“As for the puppy,” he said.
She braced for it.
“Don’t name him Shadow. That’s going to be hella confusing if you do.”
“Really?” she asked. “We can keep him, too?”
He nodded.
“Yeah, really. If they destroy my shoes, I’ll buy more. I can see that you’ve been walking on eggshells for me, and I don’t want that. I don’t have to do that with you because you’ve given me your genuine self each moment of the day for the last fifteen years. It’s time I gave you the freedom you’ve always given me.”
This was…shocking.
“Thank you, EJ.”
He shrugged.
“Again, don’t thank me. As our wife, you should have joy too, and I know how much you like taking the dogs for a run, and then lying in the grass with them. That gives you peace. Let me carry this for you, for a change. I can be cranky when my shoes get eaten, if you feel joy from doggy drool.”
She relaxed.
“Coming home changed you,” she said. “Returning has made you different.”
He was aware.
“I told you that I felt like this was where I needed to be, and I believe that it has changed me. I’m not the same man anymore, Elizabeth. I’m different, and I only hope you’ll love him as much as you loved the old me.”
She was honest.
“I love him more because it’s the genuine you, Ethan. I always knew you held pieces back. I knew when I saw Gene at our wedding, and he walked away with tears in his eyes. I knew when you would go save him each and every time. I’ve always known you had walls up. I’m happy that I get to see you come into your Shaman era. I look forward to falling more in love with him.”
That made his heart feel so light.
“I love you, Elizabeth Renee LaRue. I’ll always love you for your silliness, your need to save the world, and how you’rethe most protective woman I’ve ever known. Thank you for being mine and fighting to stay. Now, I’ll fight for you.”
That was the most peaceful thing he’d said to her in a long time.
“Same, Cowboy. Same.”
